County Slogan Emphasizes Family

In an attempt to shed Fort Lauderdale`s image as a raucous beach resort, Broward County business leaders on Wednesday agreed to use a slogan that stresses the area`s appeal to families.

The slogan, ``We`re Building A Future For Your Family. And Your Business,`` will be used by the Broward Economic Development Board, chambers of commerce and private developers in their efforts to attract companies.

Officials of the Committee of 100, the development board`s marketing arm, endorsed the slogan after being told that the county should be promoted as an excellent place to do business and to raise a family.

``Fort Lauderdale is a well-liked city; however, as a business location, you have a serious problem,`` said Tom Hall, a partner in the Tampa-based Ennslin and Hall advertising agency, which the committee hired to develop a slogan.

The agency`s research, which included telephone interviews with 180 corporate executives, showed that the county`s leading attribute was the lifestyle it offered. However, Broward County lacked a specific identity in the business world and ranked near the bottom of areas that executives would consider for their companies.

The county also fell behind on major features that companies consider in deciding where to locate. They include a sufficient labor pool, a good road system and availabilty of office space and warehouses.

``Fort Lauderdale`s resort image is too entrenched to try to change it,`` Hall said. ``With Broward County, we are starting with a clean slate, so we can make the image we want.``

Economic development officials said they will ask chambers of commerce, Port Everglades, the Broward School Board and other groups to use the slogan in their promotional literature.

``This gives us something to talk about,`` said James Garver, president of the Economic Development Board. ``It`s going to be an enhancement of our program.``

Garver, who already stresses the county`s diversity and family appeal when he pitches the county, said the corporate/family slogan was unique for an economic development agency. He agreed that it was wise to use the name Broward County, instead of Fort Lauderdale.

The board spends about $250,000 for advertising and promotion. Garver said it would cost at least twice that much for a full-fledged advertising campaign using the slogan.

Terry Stiles, chairman of the Committee of 100, said the slogan will help unify the county`s efforts to attract new business.

``If it would have come out with Fort Lauderdale in the name, we would have lost all the unity,`` Stiles said.

Other committee officials praised the slogan, which was accepted without any of several proposed logos.

``My first reaction was maybe it`s a little blah, but it`s something we can work on,`` committee member Bernard Budd said.

The only disagreement was over the period after the word ``family.`` Jean Fitzgerald, chairman of the Port Everglades Commission, wanted a hyphen instead.

``It`s second-rate English to put that period in there,`` said Fitzgerald.

Hall will design several typefaces for the slogan. He recommended that the county keep the theme for at least 10 years.

In the meantime, he offered some advice: ``If you don`t make Broward County an increasingly better place for families to live, you will look foolish.``

Hall said the slogan was not designed to promote tourism. The Tourist Development Council`s $2.7 million advertising campaign revolves around the theme ``Greater Fort Lauderdale. Simply Sensational!``

Wednesday`s meeting was the first time that the Committee of 100 opened its meetings on the slogan to the news media. Earlier this year, committee officials reluctantly agreed to release files and minutes of meetings about the slogan after the News/Sun-Sentinel filed a public records request under Florida`s Government-in-the-Sunshine Law.